Concrete and metal crosstie structure



April 7, 1925.

VAN RENSSELAE R C. KING CONCRETE AND METAL CROSSTIE STRUCTURE 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet -1 Filed June 21 ATTORNEY April 7, 1925.

VAN RENSSELAER C KING CONCRETE AND METAL CROSSTIE STRUCTURE Patented Apr. 7, 1925.

VAN RENSSELAER CHOATE KING, QF RADNOR,

CGNCRETE GROSS TIE COR-BOBATION, 0F N'lll XV YORK.

PENNSYLVANIA, AssIc-noa T0 KI'nes YORK, N. 71., A conronnnion or CONCRETE AND IIE'IAL GROSSTIE STRUCTURE Application filed. June 21, 1224. Serial N 0.f7 211,397

T 0 all whomz't may concern:

Be it known that 1, Van Rnnssn Ann CI'IOATE Kine, a c-itizenolf the United States, and resident ot',Radnor, in the county of Montgo nery and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvemcnts in Concrete and Metal Crosstie Structures, of which the following is a speci tication.

This invention relates to concrete and metal cross tie structures. Its main objects areto produce such structures with a niinimum of metal and a maximum of concrete at sufiiciently low manufacturing cost to permit the structures successfully to compete with wood ties and their fittings in point of expense; to makethe structures in such form as to enable them to withstand in actual use the varying loads and complex shocks, strains and stresses to which they are subjected; to produce the structures in such wise as to prevent endwise creeping of rails mounted on them, relatively to the rail clamping means comprised in the structures to reduced the numberof SLlCllStlUQturGS1'8- quired for a given length of rail or track; to

,make the structures severally with alined,

adjustable heads each of which is of a di inension and weight readily handled; so to construct each complete structure that its concrete-members will be insured against disintegration under load, shock and strain and th its mid-length portion will endure the vertical btnding strains to which cross ties are subjected, without impairment otthe integrity oi? the concrete in the heads; and so to construct each-complete structure that either or both'ot a pair of composite heads may have theouter end of its head tilted upwardly and inwardly, its inward end tilted downwardly and the rail carried by it tilted laterally inwards, In some cases it will be desirable to have the outer ends of both heads in a structure tilted or slanted in the onward and inward direction, while in other cases it will suffice to have the head on the outer side of a curve upwardly and inwardly tilted with its rail tilted laterally inwards and with the opposite head horizon tal and its rail vertical. In still-other cases, especially on tangents, it will sutlice to have both heads horizontal cal. It is common practice to bank or elevate the ends of cross ties .on the outward and both rails vertir.

side of curving tracks in order that :by elevating the tie end and tipping the rail there at laterally towards the inner side of the curve, centrifugal force exerted on locomot res and trains at the outer side of curves may be counteracted. By the present invention, in one of its forms, this desirable condition is readily effected, when and it de-. sired; It is-considered that evenonstraight or so-called tangent tracks, the inward tilting of both rails is frequently desirable and in one of the forms of this invention, such tilting of both rails in a track is illustrated.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof and illustrating the invention in its best now known forms,

Fig. 1 is a top plan View ot' the metal-work; in one of two identical tie heads or ends and shows a connecting rod in threaded connection with the inner end,..or connecting rod holder, plate of the metal work. The contour of the concrete portion of thehe id is indicated by dot and dash lines, the head being shown with its outer endftiltedupwardly and its inner end tilted downwardly.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of what is shown in Fig. 1, the contour of the concrete portion of the headloeing indicated by dot anddash lines. f

Fig. 3 is a vertical, inner end elevation,

partly insection at line .373 of Fig.2, of

what. is shown in Figsyl and 2.

Fig. 4 .is a vertical, outer end elevationof one .Qfi the tie heads;

' Fig. 5 is a side elevation 0t one of the anti-creeping rail clamps.

Fig. 6 is an under plan view of what is shown in Fig. 5. V

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of a pairof the ties in a les ed i stalla i n on a oad b d and carrying parallel track rails severally clamp d o t bead y nt r epi g-ra clamps shown in Figs. 5 and 6, both-heads being tilted with their outer ends higher than their inner ends and both rails lacing laterally canted inwardly one towards the other.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation ct what is shown in 7, partly in section 11' line 8-8 of Fig. 7. p

' Fig. is an enla ged sectional yiew at line 9-..9 otFig. 7 and shows a track rail having atlanged base locatedon a tie head with one anti-crecping-rail clamp ininitial position of assemblage and another in finally homed and locked position in which the clamp tongue is shown in its upwardly sprung and bodily deformed position.

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic view of two laterally opposed, spaced apart tie heads with a rail clamped thereon, and, as indicated by a dotted line, showing that typical downward bowing of a rail, between two adjacent ties, which occurs when a locomotive or train travels over track rails separated at intervals by cross ties.

Fig. 11 is a side view of the structure made with the heads horizontal.

Fig. 12 is a side View of the structure made with one tilted head, the other head being horizontal.

In Figs. 1, 2, 3, 7, 8 and 9, the concrete and metal heads are shown with opposed, lengthwise extending rail and clamp bearing corner guard plates of metal.

Fig. 13 is a View in which both plates are made in one piece instead of in two pieces and covers the opposed, upper surface of the head.

Fig. let is a view of an alternate arrangement of the rail and clamp bearing and corner guard plates in which the plates extend transversely across the upper surface of the head.

Referring to the illustrated form of the invention, l'illustrates the straight, midlength, bottom portion of a metal reinforcing rod the ends 2 of which are turned severally upwardly and outwardly and terminate within but adjacent an end of the concrete block or member A of the head. The ends 2 are turned up in order to obviate shearing action thereof on the concrete during up or down vibrations of a head, such shearing action having been found to occur vertically at the end portions of straight reinforcing rods embedded in reinforced concrete ties and tie heads, in transverse relation to the rails. Said head comprises a pair of said reinforcing rods which are spaced laterally apart and extend lengthwise of the head, the middle straight portions 1 of the rods being adjacent but spaced above the under side of the head. The two heads in the cross tie structure are identical in construction. Description of one of them suffices for description of both. Each member of said pair of reinforcing rods is completely encased in the concrete, inwardly of a side wall thereof. They are thereby electrically insulated and protected from weather. Each pair of said reinforcing rods is designated as side reinforcing rods.

The straight portion 1 of each of these reinforcing rods is parallel with the bottom of the head, the concrete portion of which is a solid, cross-sectionally rectangular mass, preferably of a width greater than its height; and of a width greater than the standard or usual width of ties, in Order to reduce the number of the present structures required for a so-ealled panel or series of successive ties required for a given length of track rails, whereby the number of ties per unit of length of track is substantially and materially reduced.

The, mid-length, straight portions 1 of said reinforcing rods are in the corresponding mid-length portion of the head. The upturned ends 52 extend nearly to the upper transverse corners of the heads and efiect the necessary reinforcement of the outer end portions of the heads and at the same time by reason of their upturned form, obviate the vertical shearing stresses above mentioned.

Each under, straight portion 1 of a side reinforcement rod has clam'pingly anchored to it, the under end of a pair of spaced apart, upstanding metal anchor rods 3 the under ends 4 of which are bent upwardly and over the portion 1 of the associated rod in order to effect a fixed anchorage. The anchor rods3 are completely embedded in the concrete except at their upper ends which, above each side reinforcing rod, are severally fixed to a metal rail base clamp bearing and corner guard plate indicated by 6 applied in Fig. 3 to the opposed inner edges.

In the preferred construction, two separated plates are mounted with their opposed inner ed es 6 spaced apart and with their end edges alined, each on an upper, side corner portion of the concrete portions of the head. These plates 6 are preferably fixed to the upper ends 5 of the anchor rods by threads on the ends 5 and by threading such upper ends into threaded holes 7 in the plates, the upper surfaces of which are flush with the upper surface of the concrete.

The upper, outer corner 6 of each plate 6 is sloped downwardly, forming a clearance 8 for the under side of a rail base. lVhen a locomotive or train is travelling over rails separated at intervals by cross ties, there is almost inevitably a downward bowin of the rail as at m Fi 10 under the travelling load which exerts an endwise thrusting movement on bowed down rails in the direction of the travel of the load. Wood tie corners cushioningly endure the shock of these repeated end thrusts, but in concrete ties such repeated shocks effect disintegration of the concrete, and it is a feature of this invention, by the clearances at 8, to protectthe concrete opposed to the rail base from the disintegrating effect on the con crete of bowed down rails, by means of intervening metal corner guards formed with the downward curvature or sloping of the upper corner of each plate 6 whereby the clearances at 8 are effected.

Each rail base, clamp bearing and corner iii) side tie rods accompaniedby shock on' the guard plate G aiszp-referably formed with: a down tnrned flange '9 of which the' sloping corner (3 formingtheolearance at s, isa

part. The outer'surface' of the flange is thish'witlr the outer surface of theconcrete side wvall of the head.

lhe plates (r-are imn' o vably i anchored'fto the niid-lengtlr portions 1 of the slde reinforcing rods so that both :npward and downward jolting movements of,= and strains; and --stresses'on,= the plates are efficiently resisted not only by the reinforcing rods,- but -also by the intervening, hardened concrete between: the rods andl 'plates. This is important 'because in the present*strncttrre -the rails are clamped to'theplates 6, and the plates are an immovable part ot the tiehe'ad.

WVhensuccessive bowed down:p'o'rtions er the encasing concrete. loads,

' which bow down the rails"between tiesf a-lso --depress the tie heads in the ballast orground and the upward, retu-rn spring of'therails lifts the heads; so that the h'eads arevibrated vertically" at frequently recirrringintervals on passing 0t trains. 'ltis th'eretore important firmly to anchor the-"under ends cf the anchor rods 3 on'or-in eficientlyelose relationto the side tie rodspnear the bott'om of -the"herds, in order to main-tainthe integrity of the concrete and-prevent disintegration thereof'by these recurrentvibrational 4o shocks.

Theplates 6 are sevei 'ally -tormed with lengthwise alined, spaced aphrQ-clampbolt receiving, threaded sockets 10, one nearea'ch inward corner of aplate and -space'd inwardly oi the adjacentended 'e ot-theplate. The intervening marginalportion11 of the plate forms a bearing 'for the heelot -a metal rail base clamp, "ontward ly ot' a socket The rail base seat is formedby :themetal portions of the two plates,- :inwardlyof the threaded sockets 10 which are transversely alined in two spaced apart'ro-ws, and by the exposed surface of the I concrete bet-we'eir the plate edges.

Midway between'its sides, each hea d rr-has embedded in its upper portion a l'eng thwi'sc extending, upwardly" bowed, reintoroing rdd 12, the maid-length crown portion of which is approximately mid-way between-the -ends of the head, and adj acent, but spaced below, the upper surface of the head and completely embedded in'the'concrete;except atits in ward, straight end. Directly nnder-"the 'reinforcing rod 12, there is completely encased in theeo-n crete, except-at its inward end; an

under and downwardly bowed, lengthwise extending reinforcing "rod '13. I These rev'erse-ly bowed and opposed, reintorcingrods areni'idway 'between' the sides at the"- head. The crown =of= the underrod 13 is adjacent -but= spaced'apa rt from the under side ot the head and opposed to the crownot the npper rod 12. 'l hese" rods 12 andlil are callled the intermediate'reinforcing rods. =Th'eir outer 'ends -aire spaced a-part wadjacent, but inwardly oi,=the outer end of the head so that theyare electrically insulated one at'rom another and? protected fronrweath'er. Their I inner; "straight'ends -14 are: parallel, spaced apart one above the other and are severally 'lil'HGfldGdlfOl' reception each in a threaded hole' 15, one above theother, :in an inner end, -'=metal plate 'whic'hto rinsa connecting rod holder 16 and which-is a' part efthemetal work-in each head. The ot1teisurface of thisconnecting =rod holder plate is' flnsli with the inner end of tlie :lieacl and"--saicl holder I plate is-provid'ed, be'twe'en -and in alineinent with thethreaded holes 15, with a threaded connecting rodreceiving socket 17.

The threadedsockets 17 in the two op posed :holden plates,' one at the' innerend ot one 'head and tllGfiOtllGl' at the inner 1 end ot the other I 'head, 1 are severally drill'ed' and "t appe with their axes -outw ard ly an d down --warcllyinclined relatively to the long axisof the head,--ivhen -and if it; --is desired to conhnect eaeh head: ti ltingly' with r the intervening, straight, connecting or coupling rod 18; the ends-ot wh'icharereversely threaded at 19 in the'co'rrespondingg re-versely threaded sockets 17.

By screwing: eaclr head -'onthe end of the connecting'rod their-upper rail bearing H11- fa'ces are brought 1 into np-Wardly "and i nwardly fincli-ned positions and -each-'head in a tie structure may -be banked or given j a "support ot 'ea'rth' or bitllast'in the'road bed for maintaining thT I two heads wi th" their -=connect'i-ng rod straigh-L-in 'said 11 inclined "positions, whereby the inward sides 'ot the ails carried -by the heads' will *be inclined inwardly one towards the other. This con- 'st-rnc tion: isshow-n in Figs. 1* and '2," 111: "i t .:.des'ired -asisliown in Fig. 11, the connecting *rod receiving sockets ofsaid holders may be tappedv and threaded horizontally so that 'both' 'heads Will be inalineinent and "with 1 their axes" coincident with" the axis of the straight connecting rod. 3 It desired, as shown-in "Fig/12, the connecting rod receiving isocket of one" ofthe'= holders niay be inclined, as indicated j and the connecting-rod receiving sockee in the holder at the in H81 end of the opposite head may be horiy" 'ntal wh ereby only 2 one of; the -lieadswi-ll be ited,

hile' the otherwill be horizontal,"-w-hen installed in a -road bed.

W hen the two heads-"- are adju'stably con pled in any of the forms above referred to and the structure is installed in a road bed. on earth or ballast B, the connecting rod may be axially turned to adjust the two heads relatively inwardly or outwardly, according to the rail gauge required. The holder plates when provided with the slanted, connecting rod threaded sockets 17 may have these sockets drilled and tapped with their axes at various angles relatively to a sideof a holder plate 16 in order to meet the varying requirements of banking or upward tipping of a head at the outward side .of a curve, according to the degree of curvature. The general practice in connection with wood ties and the like is to bank the tie ends at the outer sides of curves severally, from one inch to four inches above the position of the opposite tie end at the inward side of the curve.

The holder plates 16 are shown rectangular and elongated in the direction of the height of the inner ends of the heads. The mid-length portion 01' every tie is subject to vertical flexing movements from travelling loads, exerting recurrent strains on such. mid-length portions. Consequently when the connecting rod, which is at the midlength portion of the present structure, is subjected to upward and downward strains, such strains are transmitted to the holder plates 16 which are solidly backed up by the concrete in the head, whereby the vertical strains are strongly resisted by the solid concrete.

Each holder plate 16 in a head is solidly anchored in the concrete and made strongly resistant to endwise displacement because of the reversely bowed, connecting rods 12 and 13 which are much more highly resistant to lengthwise strains caused by spreading 01- track rails, than would be the case it these reinforcing rods were straight with their crown portions severally, adjacent, but spaced apart from the upper and under surfaces of: the head, they give to each con.- crete head, as a unit, a strikingly important element of strength in that on the passing of a train, at which time the load on ahead is vertically downwards, the upper rod 12 is in compression and the under rod 18 in tension; and on the return, upward spring of the rails, after the loads have passed, the under rod 13 is in compression and the upper rod 12 is in tension. This structural condition is rendered very much more inipoa'tant in consequence of the vertical vibratory movements due to passing loads being increased by imperfect tamping or softening of ground or ballast support of the heads.

The intermediate reinforcing rods 12 and 13 not only perform the functions of reinforcing rods, but also of anchorages for the connecting rod holder plates and of alternately operating compression and tension rods approximately in the axial planes of the heads and connecting rod.

The metal work in each head, as above described, is readily assembled upsidedown in a concrete form or mold and the concrete then solidly molded encasingly of the metal work with the outer surfaces oi the plates 6 and of the holder plates 16 exposed. If desired, the inner ends of the side walls may be oppositely tapered, the better to resist lateral track slippage under certain conditions.

The tie structures thus above described,

each comprising. a head coupled by a con' necting rod, may be rock ballasted on road bed in parallelism, as usual; and the heads, whether horizontal or tilted, may be adjusted. endwise by turning their respective connecting rods to suit the rail gauge.

Considering a completed structure, it is noted that its metallic cross tying element comprises the two rods 12, the two rods 13, a pair of connecting rod holder plates 16 and a connecting rod 18 each end of which is fixed in a holder; that this assemblage is straight and that at each end of the connecting rod its therewith anchored, intermediate connecting rods 12 and 13 are located midway between the sides, of the concrete portions of the heads. The metallic cross tying element forms as it were, the backbone of the unitary structure in which the holder plates extending vertically above and below the connecting rod ends resist vertical strains on the connecting rod and in which the upturned reinforcing rod ends 2 and the reversely curved ends of the intermediate reinforcing rods 12 and 13 are anti-shearing ends. lVhen a structure containing this assemblage is in use, said assemblage of rods 12 and 13, holder plates 16 and coupling rod 18 serves not only as an adjust-ably cross tying assemblage, but in association with the concrete member A. forms a solid, durable, convenient structure carrying in each head the side reinforcing rods with the thereto anchored rail bearing plates 6. On the passing of locomotives and trains, as above stated, the heads are given successive downward movements under the wheels and the immediately following upspring of the rails, which have been bowed down between the heads, causes an upward movement of the heads. F or this reason, the heads of aseries of tie structures in use are successively vibrated in the vertical direction; and it is 01 the utmost importance that the tie heads be of a construction that renders the metallic elements therein immovable in the concrete for otherwise the bodily movements and the strains and tendencies to movement of the metal elements would disintegrat-ingly affect the concrete.

As above stated, the track rails are heavily hd nge",

theflange.

the-polygon al head '28 lar space 30 between the under surface 0 and anti creepingly clamped. totheplates '6.

Each clamp hasasolidibutt. 20 whichuis cross-sectional-ly rectangular and the under surface of which is tiat.; he butt-is formed witha vertical clamp bolt :receiying'hole21 the diameter; of.rwhich"is-slightly greater than th eshank .of the v associated clamp boltv Inwardly of and spaced apart fr oin the clamp bolt receiving'hole', the clamp is pro-- vided on its under sideLw-ithanupwardly ere tending); Vertical, rail base edge engaging shoulder 22, 1 the height of which is slightly less than the thickness or heightof the/edge of the rail base fiange lt. Above theshoul-T der, the clamp; is provided with an inwardly projecting, strong; upwardly springable and bodily: deformable rail base flange engaging tongue 23. The under surface of this tongue isnot machined butis moreor-lssrough,- as indicated by 2 (Fig. 6). The clamp boltreceiving sockets 10 in the plates 6 are located-and the clamps are sodimensioned that when a clamp is initially assein-. bled with a seated rail base flzingm-th'eunder, outercorner or heel 24 ofthe clamp willrest; on a clamp heel "bearing 11 and-- thecornerof the clamp; shoulder will bear on theb-ase flange near its upper" corner, with.' th'e tongue in normal condition projecting over 4 The threaded end 25' of the clamp boltis initiallyhiserted in a clampbolt receiving socket-with the unt-hreaded shanlz 26 of the clamp bolt slightly loose in the holethrough the clamp butt; In this initial position ofassemblage, a clamp bolt lock plate shown in" the form of. a thin inetalfiplateQT, having-between its ends a holefor-passage of the clamp bolt,is i1'1terposed-betweenthe upper side of the butt and; of the clampbolt, the outer end of the loc-k pla-te being bent down at 29 across the end "wall *ofth'e clamp and the other end of the lockplate being-fiat,- Inthis initial assemblage, there is a triangm the clain r-butt, adjacent thecornerof*the shoulder and the plate 6. By screwing down the clamp bolt, the clamp body portion i-ll'between the shoulder and the-clamp bolt:

is forced powerfullydo-wnwards, causing the shoulder to inuoinge against the base flange edge and the upwardly springable tongue to impinge with increasing; downward force-on the upper surface-of the base flange. As the clamp is finally homed, 'the triangular space is reduced an d. theupwardly spiringablei clamp tongue is sprung-.- up wardly and bodily deforn'ied, causing a powerful, anti-railcreeping pressure on theba-se with the portion of the a] clamp 31:between the shoulder and the inward wall of the holethroughithe butt, forced solidly betweenthe flange edge andithe opposed clamp bolt, the -shanlnof which serves asan out.-

ward abutment at'32: for theclainp: porrtion 131.. 'lhenshoulders-.ofathe clamps at.

oppositesidcs of thee-rail base-flange form thelsidearallsa of the-rail seat; in, each? head A inong the practical advantages of the idea scribed-o structure in which i the; upwardly springablm and.-; bodily deformed clamp: tongues for preventionof rail creeping is an important feature-is the economicfa'ct that theustructures ,may be i made: mostly out: of standardized metal zstock; commonly main? tained .by.railroad!companies in their own: warehouses that the parts nay beassembled ton. concreting [by a the railroad, 'w orlnnen; at regular established railroad; shops and: yards, or at intervals.- along roadbeds,

In.- laying. and repairing tracks, the see inent al tie structures effect a, great 'econoniy oftiine andlabor.

By rigidly clamping the ,rails to the plates, immovably mounting the plates on the heads;

and; anchoring the 7 heads to i the. straight,"

metal: work referred to as ,the backbone of the structure, the supporting earth becomes an ultimate cushion in final: effect for the ties, the structure of which hasv been found in actual practice. successwely, and prac-- tically to; withstand 'IhGEL-VY' loads .and e the a complex strains= to: which such structures arcisubjected'" In 13,;the two corner plates of each of 'tliei-above describeddiforms are made. in; one piece with a continuous clearance-tone, ing slope-0f each outeriopposed corner '6 The zreference letter 6 is 1 applied tothis one piece plate whichufull'yz covers the top- Surface of a'arlieadl- The only, objection-to this plate-is that .:it :weighs. and-licosts more than the 'tWOf separateplates shown in the preferred form; J

In'Fig. 14 the-two rail bearings and corner guardpla'tes 6 instead of extending, as above described, in thedirection of :the length of the head, extend transversely ,thereof being spa nersofeach guard plate isi formed with a clearance forming slope at'6t, as above de scribed;

Therplates Gtwhether-in one pieceior in-a. pluralityof lparlts constitute rail base and i clainpheel bearings; and their-fOrm-and arrangementanay. be varied without dcparture from the intention;

The plate orplatesfi are coiweniently with its threaded boreregistering with each threaded -3socket 10;-is =-rnounted in the assembla-ge of metal wo rk by means of a I temporary screwtnot shown butreadily uncle r ced: apart by th'eaupper {concrete surface f of the concrete member A: Each upper corplates 6', with the clamp bolts, a he xagonalnut'33:

lit)

stood) and with its upper surface bearing against the under surface of a plate; and when the concrete is poured and solidified such nut becomes immovably anchored in the concrete with its upper surface forming a metal bearing for the under side of the plate 6. Similarly a polygonal nut 33 is screwed on the upper, threaded end 5 of each upstanding anchor rod 3 into a position' to serve as a bearing for the under side of a plate 6 in the assemblage of metal work.

As there aretwo anchor rods 3 at each side of the metal work, the nuts may be ad justed into horizontal alinement and the plate or plates 6 leveled horizontally there-' on, theunder ends l of the anchor rods being bent upwardly after the anchor rods are screwed into the receiving holes 7. When the concrete is poured, these nutsbecome immovably anchored under bearings for the plates 6 opposed to them and each forms a prolongation of a threaded joint connection of each anchor rod 3 with the plate.

Similarly a nut 33 is located horizontally back of and in contact with each holder plate 16 by means of a temporary screw not shown, in the preliminary assemblage of metal work, the threaded bore of the nut registering with the adjacent threaded socket 17. When the concrete is poured, the nuts become immovably anchored in the con crete and severally increase the effective length of a threaded joint in which they are severally used. These nuts 33 are not clamp nuts but threadedesockets. Their polygonal form keeps them from rotational movements while the encasing concrete and the contacting plate serve te keep them from all endwise and lateral tipping movements.

hen and if, as preferred, the plate or plates severally have a downwardly extending flange 9, the anchor rods 3 connected with each plate and being also clamped at'their under ends 4 to a side reinforcing rod strongly hold the horizontal portion of a plate together with its flange on and over a corner portion of the head. i I

In the construction of Fig. 14, opposite corner portions'of theconcrete between the inward, transverse, opposed edges of the two plates shown are but negligibly exposed to the end thrust of bowed down rails, if at all. The adjacent 'rail bearing surfaces of the plates sustain the loads and thrusting shocks.

The opposed crowns of" the reversely bowed reinforcing rods 12 and 13 are in the midlength portion of a head and under the rail seat portion of the head. whereby the weight and shock of travelling loads are supported and sustained at the strongest portion of the head.

By making the clamp shoulders of slightly less height than the thickness of the edges of the rail base flanges, the whole power of each cooperating clamp bolt thread in its from its root so that its upper surface becomes curved as shown at the right of Fig. 9. The described constructlon and 1ts mode of operation have been found to result in hold ing rails against end creeping to a most important and novel degree:

To prevent travel of electric current from a rail and clamp heel bearing plate or plates on one head to the correspondingplate or plates on the other head, where, as is usual- 1y the-case, the track is equipped with electric signalling or train control apparatus and in order that the apparatus may not be short circuited andthe current confined to the intended rails at one side of the track, care should be taken to compact a sufiicient thickness of concrete as an insulation be tween the upper rod 12 and the plates 6 or plate 6 As already stated, the side reinforcing rods are insulated one from another and from the outer metal work by the encasing concrete; andthe outer ends of the in termediate reinforcing rods 12 and 13 are also electrically insulated one from another by the intervening concrete.

One of the advantages of the described structure lies in the fact that when a series ofthe ties are installed in a track and the rails are approximately anticreepingly clamped to the heads, the highly objectionable, vertical wave motion of rails commonly occurring when rails arespiked to wood ties, on passage of trains, is approximately obviated because of the solidity of the tie heads and of the clamping of the rails thereto. In the case of rails held by spikes to wood ties, the spikes to a greater or less extent, be come more or less loosened by the up and down vibration of the rails accompanied by their endwise moving tendencies in the direction of the train movement, and the wood ties areapt to rock on their lengthwise axes. The present structure approximately and in a most important way reduces such wave motion to a negligible degree and, at the same time, the tendency of the ties to rock on their endwise axes is greatly diminishedby reasonv of the clearances at 8 at the upper corners of the ties when the clcarances are opposed to the direction of the travel of the train.

The invention having been thus described in its best form now known, what I claim is:

1.. In a railway cross tie comprising a pair of concrete and metal heads alinedly coupled by a rigid connecting rod, the combination of a pair of such heads severally comprising lengthwise extending, laterally spaced apart, side reinforcing rods severally having an anchor rod holding portion embedded in the esa-sea concrete belowthe- UPPSP=SUTE1GG of the head; at the up per-portion ofthe head and spaced apart from each of -said anchor rod i holding portions by intervening concrete, a

metal rail baseandfclamp; bearing platestructure provided with a threaded clamp bolt receiving socket-andaclamp heel hear-- ing outwardly plurality ofspaced apart,upstandingganchor rods-rigidly connected to each of said bear ingplate structures and also: in. rigid, anchored connection with the under side of each of the anchor rod holding portions of 'a side reinforcing rod; a connecting rodzholder 2 plate located. at; the inner aendflof. each: head and ibearing r against :the concrete leng.th wise extending, embedded, intermediate, reinforcing rods in each head and having ends several-1y connectedspacedly;apart,..tothe holder, the holder between its connections with said rod ends being formed with a stiff connecting rod receiving socket; and

a connecting rod connected with said sockets in the holders, one holder and the intermediate reinforcing rods connected with it,

and the connecting rod all being in approximate alinement.

2. In the structure set forth in claim 1, a nut anchored in the concrete with its threaded bore registering with an alined threaded opening in a plate and with the plate adjacent the nut, whereby the effective length of a receiving thread in a constituent plate is increased by the juxtaposition of the threaded bore of the nut which also serves as a rigid support for the plate.

3. In the structure set forth in claim 1, the metal rail base and clamp bearing plate structure having transversely opposed por-D tions severally forming a guard for an underlying, opposed, concrete corner portion of the associated head.

a. In the structure set forth in claim 1, the metal rail base and'clamp bearing plate structure having transversely opposed portions severally forming a guard for the underlying, opposed, concrete corner portion of the associated head; and each upper corner of such guard sloping downwardly to form a clearance between the guard and the under side of a rail base, whereby disintegration of the concrete due to the end thrust of a bowed down rail is rendered negligible.

5. In the structure set forth in. claim 1, the metal rail base and clamp bearing plate structure having transversely opposed portions severally forming a guard for the underlying, opposed, concrete corner portion of the associated head; said bearing plate structure having opposed, downwardly extending flanges bearing against the opposite sides of the concrete and together with the bearing plate structure being held iminovably in position over upper corner porof said :threaded socket a i tions of the rail seat portion of the head by said anchor-mods.

6. In tlie-structure set forthin clai-m 1, the 1 connecting 4 rod receivingsockets in the holders being reversely' threaded I and the ends of: the connecting rod being reversely threaded, whereby upon turning the-connecting'-;rod axially said 'holderswith their respecti-vely connected reinforcing rods; may be drawn together or moved apart for drawing-together ormoving apart the connected heads.

7. In the structure set forth in claim.1,'the.. connecting rod receiving sockets in the. holders being reverse ly' threaded, the-scone nesting rod being straight and havin'g reverselyi: threaded ends and the; axisaofa a 1 threaded socket beingninclinedaat an angle: to and downward lyufrom the-long axis :of. :its associated head, whereby said head has its outward end tilted upwardly and inwardly for holding a rail carried thereby with its inward side canting downwardly and inwardly.

8. In the structure set forth in claim 1, the said intermediate reinforcing rods in each head being reversely bowed and located one above the other with their crowns opposed, the crown of one being adjacent the under side and the crown of the other adjacent the upper side of a head, and said opposed crowns being under the rail seat portion of a head.

9. In a concrete and metal railway cross tie structure, the combination with an embedded reinforcing rod and a downwardly flanged, rail, clamp bearing and corner guard plate having a threaded clamp bolt receiving socket of an upstanding anchor rod fixed to said plate and also to said reinforoing rod, the flanged plate bearing on he top margin and also on the upper side margin of the concrete and being spaced apart from the reinforcing rod by interven ing concrete in which the anchor rod is encased.

10. A railway cross tie comprising a pair of concrete and metal tic heads and a rigid metallic coupling therefor; each tie head loo having a rail seat portion comprising therein anchored and spaced apart, metal, rail clamp holding members held against axial, endwise and tipping movements and severally formed with a threaded socket outwardly of and adjacent which the member has a. clamp heel bearing and inwardly of and adjacent which the member has a rail base bearing; anchor rod holding members embedded in the concrete and upstanding anchor rods, said anchor rods being in anchored connection with the anchor rod holding members and with the rail clamp holding members; and, axially connecting the two heads, metal work comprising members embedded in each head and connected with a connecting rod m0 holder plate in each head; and a rigid connecting rod detachably connected at each end with one of said holder plates.

11. In a concrete and metal railway cross tie structure, the combination of a pair of spaced apart rail and clamp bearing plates; a plurality of reinforcing members having portions positioned below the level of said plates; and a plurality of upstanding anchor rods connecting each plate with one of said reinforcing members; the upper end portions of the anchor rods being screw threaded into threaded holes in the plates and severally provided with a nut inward of the free end of the threaded portion of an anchor rod and forming supports for the plates, and concrete encasing the reinforcing rods, the anchor rods and the nuts.

12. In a concrete and metal cross tie comprising a pair of concrete and metal heads coupled by a rigid connecting rod; a connecting rod holder plate at the inner end of each head; in each head upper and under reinforcing rods having spaced apart ends anchored to a holder plate; in each plate a threaded socket between said ends; back of and contacting with each plate an immovable member having a threaded bore registering with said threaded socket; concrete supporting each holder plate and encasing in each head the reinforcing rods; and on each head rigidly anchored rail seat forming means; and rail holding devices.

Signed at New York city in the county of New York and State of New York this 17th day of June A. D. 1924.

VAN RENSSELAER OHOATE KING. 

